My name is Marina. I’m 21 years old. I was born with bilateral, lower extremity abnormalities. I had a bilateral above-knee amputation when I was fourteen months old and ever since, I have been wearing prosthetic legs.

Most parents can remember the sting of those first stares. It may have been at the local park or pool when you first saw surprise or fear in other parents’ eyes as they recognized your child’s differences. Perhaps someone was more blunt, asking: “What happened to her?”